The terms and conditions specified on this page stand as definitive should any information on this website conflict. Please get in touch with us at help@londonfilms.school to assist with any questions.

Short Film Category entries are only judged as a whole and not against any award categories. They are ineligible for all award categories except best short film. 

Credits and eligibility decisions are based on the credits submitted with each film.  Nominations are announced no earlier than three (3) weeks before the competition awards evening. The Judging panel may make multiple nominations in a single category for a single film at their discretion.

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By submitting information on this website or through electronic email (in relation to this competition), you agree to this information being stored for the purposes of running the competition.  Form data submitted through this website will additionally be stored by Wix in accordance with their GDPR policies. Email addresses may be used for future competitions, and you can withdraw consent by emailing help@londonschools.film.

Terminology:

‘Film’ is the term given to the entry submitted to the competition.

‘Entry category’ is the term given to which competition the entry is being submitted. For example, the Senior Category.

‘Entry’ is an instance of a single film entry into one of the entry categories.

‘Category’ generally refers to an awards category, such as best director. To differentiate awards from entries, these terms are often expanded.

'Entrant' is the person making and submitting the film.

'School' refers to the eligible school (as defined in these rules) where the entrant resides either as a pupil or member of staff.

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General Entry Rules

1. A school is considered eligible for entry if it meets the criteria of catering to the academic education of the age categories listed below. This includes independent, maintained, academy and sixth-form colleges.

2. Pupils may enter their own team and make payment, but they must still enter with their school’s oversight and permission. This is to ensure general safety and other safeguarding practises are followed and met. Therefore, with every entry, there must be the email of a member of the school staff. These people will be emailed regarding invitations to the awards evening, etc. THEREFORE ENTRIES MUST NOT BE MADE WITHOUT THE PRIOR PERMISSION FROM THE ENTRANT'S SCHOOL.

3. Should the respective school's official email link to somebody who is not authorised, by the school’s leadership, to act on behalf of the school, the entry may be deemed ineligible and withdrawn from the competition. This is at the sole discretion of the London Schools’ Film Competition, and refunds cannot be made.

4. Unlimited entries per school are permitted in any or all of the entry categories.

5. Judging is done anonymously with no details of the submission being given. However, this is also subject to the entrant school’s film maintaining this anonymity within their film.

6. Each film submission must have a unique entry code. If the competition permits multiple entries, entrants will be sent multiple codes.

7. Films must be electronically submitted by 1159pm on the date published on the LondonSchools.Film website. Entries submitted after this date and time are unlikely to be accepted.  Refunds cannot be given in any circumstance.

8. A single film cannot be submitted to multiple entry categories (Junior/Senior or Short) in part or whole.

9. Category age limitations refer to the ages of the director and screenwriter only. The eligibility period is the date spanning from entries being open to the film submission deadline. This period spans two academic years, therefore making eligibility easier and more flexible. See judging category rules for further guidance.

10. Limitations of entry are specified in the above table.

11. On-screen talent can be of any age, at the school’s discretion, but they must be or have been a pupil/staff member of the school during the entry and submission window. Certain prize categories carry some age restrictions.

12. The film run time is from start to finish and includes any title sequences and credits.

13. For the Junior competition, the screenplay can be based on an existing story but must be modified in some way. If based on an existing story, the school must have the full rights to perform and modify the work.

14. Any genre and theme fitting the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) classification rules are permitted.

15. Full cast and crew should be credited with each submission – indicating pupil/adult roles (if necessary). However, in the interests of child protection, credits added to the end of any film should contain first names only with surname initials (if required).

16. No professional involvement whatsoever from outside each school – this must be a film wholly created by the entrant school’s staff and pupils only.

17. Any prize money is intended solely to support the school’s investment in film and media. There can be no refunds if entries are not submitted on time.

18. Through submitting an entry, there is explicit agreement that the video can be published on YouTube, media outlets, etc., as part of the London Schools’ Film Competition (LSFC).

19. A staff representative from each entrant school will be asked to sign to the fact that these rules have been complied with fully and entered in the spirit of fair competition.

20. Only films submitted with an entry form and signed consent for all participants can be entered into the competition.

21. The entry fees will go into an annual fund, from which trophies and catering (for the award nominees) will be subtracted. The remaining monies will form the prize fund. All entry categories contribute to their own separate fund. Other running costs of the competition will be met by Mill Hill School.

22. Mill Hill School will receive free entry in contribution to the administration, technical and staffing costs required to run and host these awards.

23. Only prize category nominees will be invited to the awards evening. Subject to availability, additional awards evening places can be purchased (details on request) so as to not significantly impact the prize fund. Schools should ensure that at least one adult accompanies any pupil(s) attending the awards evening (through award nomination), and one place will be provided free of charge per nominated school. For non-nominees, it is our intention that the evening will be live-streamed or recorded.

24. All rights, clearances and permissions must be obtained prior to submission, and applicants must ensure that they have the right to submit the work with regard to third parties connected to the production of the film in question. By entering your film, you agree to this and the responsibilities involved. The London Schools’ Film Competition assumes no responsibility for violation of copyright law, or any other laws breached in the making or submitting of an entry. We cannot clear any music/audio licensing for you: all rights must be arranged prior to submission.

25. The voting records can be made available, on request, to any competing school up to six months after the awards ceremony. 

26. All foreign language films must have English subtitles.

27. All judging decisions are final.

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Please email info@londonschools.film if you have any questions or queries.

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Judging/Voting Rules

Films for each entry category will be judged by a voting panel. These panels may consist of the same or different judges.  It is expected that each panel will be formed from industry experts; however, in the case of a large number of submissions, which cannot reasonably fall upon a small judging panel, then entries would first go into an elimination round, formed by volunteers, before going through to the final judging panel. Details of this will become known as the entry window closes.

The competition is about openness and transparency: details of the panel and any pre-selection panel will be published in advance.

There can only be one winner in each prize category (with multiple second-place positions). In the event of a points deadlock, the following will take precedence:

1. The judges’ votes will be scanned, and the entry that received the highest number of judges’ top votes will be given 1 additional point

2. If it is not clear from step 1, the head judge will be asked to cast the final verdict.

3. If the head judge cannot be contacted in time, their ranking will be used to determine which entry gets the additional point.

4. If the head judge’s votes still result in deadlock, the winning school (on total points) will receive the additional point, in as much as it does not affect the final ranking

5. If none of the above can be achieved in a fair way, the other judges will be contacted to make the deciding vote.